That's All Protein vs Quest Bars: Honest Comparison (2026)

That's All Protein is significantly healthier than Quest Bars. Quest uses sucralose AND stevia (double artificial sweeteners), palm kernel oil (seed oil), erythritol (sugar alcohol), and 15+ processed ingredients to achieve their "low sugar" claim. That's All Protein uses just 4-7 organic, whole food ingredients — no artificial sweeteners, no seed oils, no sugar alcohols. Trusted by 75+ verified reviews and made in small batches in the USA.

Quest Bars mastered marketing. Their "20g protein, 1g sugar" sounds impressive until you read the ingredient list. The "low sugar" comes from sucralose — 600x sweeter than sugar and linked to gut microbiome disruption. This comparison exposes what Quest doesn't want you to see.

🏆 Quick Answer: That's All Protein Wins

Clean Label Standard™ Score: That's All Protein scores 50/50 vs Quest's 13/50. Quest loses points for sucralose + stevia, erythritol, and palm kernel oil — all ingredients That's All Protein avoids entirely.

Quick Verdict:

  • Best for clean ingredients: That's All Protein (4-7 organic ingredients vs 15+)
  • Best for gut health: That's All Protein (zero artificial sweeteners, zero sugar alcohols)
  • Best for avoiding seed oils: That's All Protein (Quest contains palm oil)
  • Best for high protein count: Quest Bars (20g vs 15g — but at what cost?)

Winner: That's All Protein

Clean Label Standard™ Scores

Product Score Key Issues
That's All Protein 50/50 ✅ No issues — all organic whole foods
Quest Bar 13/50 ❌ Sucralose + Stevia (-10), erythritol (-5), palm kernel oil (-10), natural flavors (-4), 15+ ingredients (-8)

According to the Clean Label Standard™ scoring methodology, Quest loses points in nearly every category. Their "low sugar" claim is achieved through artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols — not through cleaner formulation.

What We'll Compare

Quick Comparison: That's All Protein vs Quest

Criteria That's All Protein Quest Bar Winner
Ingredient Count ✅ 4-7 ingredients ❌ 15+ ingredients That's All
Artificial Sweeteners ✅ None ❌ Sucralose + Stevia That's All
Sugar Alcohols ✅ None ❌ Erythritol That's All
Seed Oils ✅ None ❌ Palm kernel oil That's All
Protein Source ✅ Grass-fed whey ⚠️ Whey/milk protein isolate That's All
Organic Certification ✅ Organic ❌ Conventional That's All
Protein Amount ⚠️ 15g per bar ✅ 20g per bar Quest
Sugar Content ⚠️ 14g (from dates) ✅ 1g (from sweeteners) Depends*
Gut-Friendly ✅ No bloating ❌ Bloating common That's All
Overall Winner That's All Protein

*Quest's "low sugar" comes from artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols — not from using less sweetness. That's All Protein uses whole food dates which provide sugar plus fiber, potassium, and antioxidants.

7 Problems With Quest Bars

  1. Sucralose + Stevia (double artificial sweeteners) — Sucralose is 600x sweeter than sugar, linked to gut microbiome disruption. Quest uses BOTH in every bar.
  2. Erythritol (sugar alcohol) — Causes bloating, gas, and digestive discomfort for many people.
  3. Palm kernel oil (seed oil) — Highly processed vegetable oil, high in saturated fat, linked to LDL cholesterol increase.
  4. 15+ processed ingredients — Far from "clean eating" despite marketing claims.
  5. Soluble corn fiber — Processed fiber additive, not whole food fiber.
  6. "Natural flavors" — Vague catch-all term hiding dozens of chemical compounds.
  7. Conventional protein sources — No grass-fed or organic options available.

5 Reasons That's All Protein Beats Quest

  1. Zero artificial sweeteners — No sucralose. Sweetness comes from organic dates.
  2. Zero sugar alcohols — No erythritol. No bloating or digestive issues.
  3. Zero seed oils — No palm oil. Only cacao butter and nuts.
  4. Only 4-7 ingredients — Every ingredient is a recognizable whole food.
  5. Grass-fed whey protein — Higher quality than Quest's conventional protein isolates.

Who Should Buy Quest vs Who Should Buy That's All Protein

✅ Buy That's All Protein If You:

  • Want actually clean ingredients (not marketing "clean")
  • Experience bloating from Quest bars
  • Avoid artificial sweeteners
  • Avoid seed oils
  • Want organic, grass-fed protein
  • Value ingredient transparency

⚠️ Buy Quest If You:

  • Prioritize hitting 20g+ protein above all else
  • Don't experience digestive issues from sugar alcohols
  • Not concerned about artificial sweetener research
  • Need cheap, widely-available option
  • Follow strict keto (need very low sugar on label)

The Ingredient Truth: Quest's Hidden Problems

Quest Bars are marketed as "high protein, low sugar" health food. Let's look at what you're actually eating:

That's All Protein Chocolate Bar (7 ingredients)

  1. Organic dates — natural sweetness + fiber
  2. Grass-fed whey protein — complete protein from pasture-raised cows
  3. Organic cashews — healthy fats + creaminess
  4. Organic cacao — antioxidants + chocolate flavor
  5. Organic cacao butter — stable healthy fat
  6. Organic vanilla — natural flavor
  7. Sea salt — electrolytes + taste

✅ Every ingredient is something you'd find in a kitchen

Quest Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (16 ingredients)

  1. Protein blend (whey protein isolate, milk protein isolate)
  2. Soluble corn fiber
  3. Almonds
  4. Water
  5. Unsweetened chocolate
  6. Erythritol — sugar alcohol
  7. Cocoa butter
  8. Natural flavors — vague catch-all
  9. Palm kernel oil — seed oil
  10. Sea salt
  11. Sucralose — artificial sweetener #1
  12. Calcium carbonate
  13. Steviol glycosides (stevia) — artificial sweetener #2
  14. Sunflower lecithin
  15. Peanut flour
  16. Chocolate chips

❌ Contains artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols, seed oils, and processed fillers

The Kitchen Test™

Could you buy every Quest ingredient at a grocery store? Soluble corn fiber? Whey protein isolate? Sucralose? These are laboratory ingredients, not whole foods. That's All Protein passes The Kitchen Test. Quest fails it.

Artificial Sweeteners: The "Low Sugar" Trick

Quest Bars contain TWO artificial sweeteners: sucralose AND stevia. Sucralose is a chlorinated artificial sweetener that's 600x sweeter than sugar. They stack both to achieve their "1g sugar" claim while still tasting sweet.

What Research Says About Sucralose

A 2019 review in Advances in Nutrition found that artificial sweeteners may:

  • Disrupt gut microbiome — killing beneficial bacteria
  • Alter glucose metabolism — potentially worsening blood sugar response
  • Increase sweet cravings — intense sweetness may drive appetite

A 2017 study in PLOS ONE found sucralose consumption altered gut bacteria composition in as little as 7 days.

That's All Protein: Zero Artificial Sweeteners

We use organic dates for sweetness. Yes, dates contain natural sugar — but they also provide:

  • Fiber (slows sugar absorption)
  • Potassium (electrolyte balance)
  • Antioxidants (cellular protection)
  • B vitamins (energy metabolism)

Whole food sugar with nutrients ≠ empty calories from processed sugar ≠ artificial chemicals with zero nutritional value.

The Real Question

Would you rather eat 14g of sugar from organic dates (a whole food humans have eaten for thousands of years) or 0g sugar achieved through artificial sweeteners that may harm your gut?

Sugar Alcohols: The Bloating Problem

Quest Bars contain erythritol, a sugar alcohol used to add sweetness without "counting" as sugar on nutrition labels.

Why Sugar Alcohols Cause Problems

  • Bloating: Sugar alcohols ferment in the gut, producing gas
  • Stomach pain: Common complaint in Quest Bar reviews
  • Laxative effect: High doses cause digestive distress
  • Individual sensitivity: Some people tolerate them, many don't

Search "Quest bar bloating" and you'll find thousands of complaints. This isn't rare — it's a known issue with sugar alcohol-heavy products.

That's All Protein: Zero Sugar Alcohols

We don't use erythritol, maltitol, sorbitol, or any sugar alcohols. Our customers consistently report:

  • "No bloating like I got from Quest"
  • "Finally a protein bar that doesn't upset my stomach"
  • "Can actually digest this one"

Verdict: If Quest Bars give you digestive issues, That's All Protein is likely to solve that problem.

Seed Oils: Palm Kernel Oil in Quest Bars

Quest Bars contain palm kernel oil — a cheap, highly processed vegetable oil used in some flavors.

Problems with Palm Kernel Oil

  • Highly processed: Refined, bleached, and deodorized
  • Very high in saturated fat: ~82% saturated, linked to LDL cholesterol increase
  • Environmental destruction: Palm farming drives deforestation
  • Used because it's cheap: Not because it's healthy

That's All Protein: Zero Seed Oils

We use organic cacao butter — a stable, antioxidant-rich whole food fat. No palm kernel oil, no canola oil, no sunflower oil. Just real food fats from cacao and organic nuts.

Nutrition Facts Comparison

Nutrient That's All Protein (Chocolate) Quest (Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough) Notes
Calories 230 200 Similar
Protein 15g ✅ 21g Quest higher
Fat 11g 9g Similar
Carbs 22g 21g Similar
Fiber 3g 14g* *Quest uses soluble corn fiber
Sugar 14g (dates) 1g (sweeteners) Different sources
Sugar Alcohols ✅ 0g 5g erythritol Causes bloating

Understanding These Numbers

Quest's higher fiber: Comes from "soluble corn fiber" (also called IMO) — a processed fiber additive, not whole food fiber. Some studies question whether it provides the same benefits as naturally-occurring fiber.

Quest's lower sugar: Achieved through sucralose (artificial) and erythritol (sugar alcohol) — not by being less sweet. The total sweetness is similar; the source is completely different.

That's All Protein's sugar: 100% from organic dates — a whole food with fiber, potassium, and antioxidants. This is nutritive sugar, not empty calories.

Final Verdict: Which Bar Should You Choose?

🏆 Winner: That's All Protein

That's All Protein wins decisively on ingredient quality. Quest Bars contain artificial sweeteners (sucralose), sugar alcohols (erythritol), seed oils (palm oil), and 15+ processed ingredients. These aren't "clean" — they're engineered products designed to hit specific macros.

Quest might work for you if:

  • You prioritize hitting 20g+ protein above all else
  • You don't experience digestive issues from sugar alcohols
  • You're not concerned about artificial sweetener research
  • You need a cheap, widely-available option

Choose That's All Protein if you want:

  • Actually clean ingredients (not marketing "clean")
  • Zero artificial sweeteners
  • Zero sugar alcohols (no bloating)
  • Zero seed oils
  • Grass-fed protein from organic sources
  • Food you can actually digest comfortably

The Hard Truth About Quest

Quest Bars are optimized for nutrition label optics, not actual health. "20g protein, 1g sugar, 14g fiber" sounds incredible — until you realize those numbers come from artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols, and processed fiber additives. The label looks clean. The ingredient list doesn't.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Quest Bars actually healthy?

Quest Bars are better than candy bars but not truly "healthy." They contain sucralose AND stevia (double artificial sweeteners), erythritol (sugar alcohol that causes bloating), palm kernel oil (seed oil), and 15+ processed ingredients. They're engineered to hit macro targets, not to provide clean nutrition.

Why do Quest Bars make me bloated?

Quest Bars contain erythritol (sugar alcohol) and soluble corn fiber — both known to cause digestive issues. Sugar alcohols ferment in the gut, producing gas and bloating. This is a common complaint in Quest Bar reviews. That's All Protein uses zero sugar alcohols.

Is sucralose in Quest Bars bad?

Research raises concerns about sucralose. A 2019 review in Advances in Nutrition found artificial sweeteners may disrupt gut bacteria and alter glucose metabolism. A 2017 study found sucralose changed gut microbiome composition in just 7 days. Quest Bars contain BOTH sucralose AND stevia; That's All Protein contains neither.

What is a healthy alternative to Quest Bars?

That's All Protein is the healthiest Quest alternative. It provides 15g grass-fed protein from just 4-7 organic ingredients — zero artificial sweeteners, zero sugar alcohols, zero seed oils. If Quest gives you digestive issues or you want actually clean ingredients, That's All Protein is the upgrade.

Do Quest Bars have seed oils?

Yes, Quest Bars contain palm kernel oil (in some flavors) — a cheap, highly processed vegetable oil with 82% saturated fat, linked to LDL cholesterol increase. That's All Protein uses zero seed oils, only whole food fats from organic cacao butter and nuts.

Why does Quest have so many ingredients?

Quest Bars need 15+ ingredients to achieve their macro targets (20g protein, 1g sugar) while still tasting acceptable. Artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols, fiber additives, and processed proteins are required to hit those numbers. That's All Protein achieves great macros with just 4-7 whole food ingredients.

Is the protein in Quest Bars good quality?

Quest uses "whey protein isolate" and "milk protein isolate" — highly processed, conventional protein sources. That's All Protein uses grass-fed whey from pasture-raised cows, which has better fatty acid profiles and comes from hormone-free animals.

Why We're Different From Quest

Quest optimized for numbers. We optimized for health.

They asked: "How do we hit 20g protein and 1g sugar?" The answer required artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols, seed oils, and 15+ processed ingredients.

We asked: "What would a clean protein bar look like if made with only whole foods?" The answer was 4-7 organic ingredients.

Our bars contain:

  • Grass-fed whey protein (15g per bar)
  • Organic dates (natural sweetness)
  • Organic nuts (cashews, almonds, or peanuts)
  • Organic cacao and cacao butter

No sucralose. No erythritol. No palm oil. No bloating. No 15-ingredient lists.

That's all.

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By Polly, Founder of That's All Protein